From Researcher to Practical Application:
A Young Engineer Taking on the Social
Implementation of AI Technology
Technology Development Division
Tosho Yan
Joined Neural Group in April 2025. Currently working as an AI engineer in the Technology Development Division.
- What were you doing in your previous job?
Yan: In my previous job, as a doctoral student at the Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University,
I was engaged in research on human-like facial expression generation
for android robots using AI, in collaboration with the Guardian Robotics Project (GRP)
team at RIKEN.
Aiming to naturally reproduce human emotions and facial expressions on robots,
I focused on technology development for machine learning and facial expression modeling.
The results of this research were accepted as two papers at international conferences,
one of which was accepted to IROS (IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent
Robots and Systems), which is world-renowned in the robotics field.
In graduate school, I majored in informatics and studied mainly in fields such as machine learning, statistics,
and deep learning.
This knowledge has become a very important foundation in my research
of modeling human emotions onto complex android faces.
- Please tell us what led to your decision to join Neural Group.
Yan: The decisive factor for joining Neural Group was that I found the selection style very attractive.
The interview process was longer than I had imagined, but the discussions with Mr. Mikami were so enjoyable that the time flew by,
and I spent a fulfilling time every instance.
Rather than a formal interview, it felt like thinking together about a single task and cooperating to solve it, which left a strong impression on me.
Also, I was allowed to visit the office during the selection process, and by receiving polite feedback while feeling the actual atmosphere,
I was able to deeply empathize with Neural Group's culture and values.
- What kind of work are you doing at NEURAL now?
Yan: Currently, as an AI engineer, while utilizing cutting-edge AI models,
I am working on sophisticating our digital solution services and 1on1 service "KizunaNavi."
Specifically, I aim to improve the user experience through improving the accuracy of existing functions and introducing new technologies.
Being able to engage in the process of dropping knowledge cultivated in research into actual products while utilizing it is very rewarding.
- What is the atmosphere of the team like?
Yan: The atmosphere of the team is very calm, and it's an environment where you can take your time to work thoroughly.
A culture that emphasizes deep understanding has taken root, and I feel very grateful that proceeding carefully without rushing is welcomed.
Also, there are activities like "club activities" within the company, and interactions among members outside of work are active.
I think that being able to communicate not only at work but also in relaxed situations creates a sense of unity as a team.
- Finally, please tell us about the "appeal of NEURAL" you feel since joining.
Yan: The appeal of Neural Group is
that there is a balance between ease of working and an environment where you can take on challenges.
There is flexibility in core hours, which I appreciate because I can concentrate at my own pace,
and the view from the office is good,
which also provides a change of pace.
In addition, being able to engage in the process of building services using AI
while tackling practical issues head-on is
highly rewarding.
At Neural Group, we are not limited to demonstration experiments but can be involved in product development on a "business premise,"
so being able to do work that makes an impact on society
while bridging the gap between research and implementation is
a great appeal.
